To Where the Boatman Rows
by 4everdead
Summary: SetoXOC Laila, a cold hearted, strange, and mysterious woman from the past enters the lives of the origional characters, but what she's looking for may not be love after all...
1. Chapter 1

To Where the Boatman Rows

Seto's Pov

Another high society party. I hated them. My financial advisors, amongst themselves had spoken of me, having the nerve to criticize the way I managed myself and took care of my business affairs. Their place in my business made them feel powerful, but in reality they were nothing more than show for the companies and CEO's that I conducted business with. It seemed that they had been concerned about my lack of business ties along with the manner in which I dealt with the press (or didn't deal with the press to be more specific), and I had figured that setting up a little publicity stunt with the ancient bags of money and bitterness in this city, would me some peace or at least shut them up long enough for me to think. They supplied my guest list (of 355 persons) and invitations, and I stood at my homes main entrance shaking hands and greeting with an icy gaze, one I had perfected over the years. My well structured and pricey suit fitting me perfectly, intimidating those who came to speak with me in hopes of fortune and business. My eyes glanced to Mokuba now and then (I'd told him to keep clear of the paparazzi) just to make sure he followed instructions, the paparazzi were notorious for spinning even the most innocent of words around you see.

From the main entrance guests pooled into either the main room or the back hall lounge area, for organization and privacy reasons of course. I disliked the idea of people in my home, and I would make sure that I was a guest as opposed to a host the next time something like this should occur. The old guests sat around dying and stumbling over words about business and ugliness and greed, eying as lions the young women on their arms. Sickening. The younger versions of old money, yes those pesky bratty teens and children who were given it all, that lacked in manners and grace panted over one another in the back hall lounge. It was the likes of that specific group that made me feel ten times older. I stood there dying for a moment alone.

"Kaiba! How does it feel to be Japan's youngest self made millionaire?" The paparazzi questioned and sighed at their presence. My advisors and planners had neglected to tell me of their presence. "Seto, tell us about your life as a young rich bachelor!"

"It's Kaiba." I replied bluntly. The nerve of them to refer to me so casually, Seto is reserved to Mokuba only. I ignored their questions and simply stated some up and coming business features and projects. I had been working on some new software that would improve the quality of my holograms in my free time. My eye then caught from the back of the crowd, a set of light green eyes plastered with heavy black shadow that had been burning holes into my face as I spoke. I had not greeted her on the way in, so many guests, but of this I was sure. She was weightless in a lace back dress, a mess of hair pinned up, heavy smoking eyes, and heels to high to keep her below my 6 ft 1 build. She gave me a half smile and disappeared into the main room.

"Will these holograms utilize blu-ray technology?" the paparazzi delved into me hungrily.

It wasn't often I gave them anything to work with. I kept to myself and preferred it that way. I answered them for a good 20 min and declared the session finished. I was simply not in the mood for anymore photos or made-up, politically correct, censored answers to what would become a useless newspaper article in a digital age. I walk away and had them leave my home as I went to mingle lightly with the other corporate heads whose industry was centered around electronics, only to improve my standings of course. I have more than a few enemies, some actual threats, and a few jealous snapping dogs at my feet most of which shook my hand with a grin that only money can produce. Ah the flattery of a corporate world.

I entered the main hall and there she was again, the mysterious woman, beautiful in her own ugly little way. She was on her own until a man about my age approached her with a drink and a grin. Her slight nearly androgynous, curve less, and delicately pale figure fidgeted in her seat before she looked up with an icy smirk across her lips and held out her black lace gloved hand palm first to reject his offer. The man was just another sleazy high society frat boy, with a perfect smile, a familiar sight amongst these little functions. The rich raising their distracted, stupid children to be entitled to anything in their sights.

"I don't believe I've seen you around Domino," he said making his first move, and leaning slightly towards him. She just stared at him. "The name's Hideki," introducing himself and bringing a hand to her pointed , silk and lace covered shoulder. I couldn't seem to look away from her, she stuck out so obviously in her unusual appearance and composure, dressed for a couture funeral of sorts among the plain and glamorous. She looked at Hideki's hand, her eyes were steady and burning as she stared at the unwelcome lump of flesh upon her. "If you're interested I could show you around town, perhaps?" He asked her as he flashed a smile, and ugly little glint in his eye.

"I'd eat your heart out boy," she smirked removing his hand and motioning for him to leave her to with a flick of her dainty wrists. Left her he did, shocked and insulted as he returned to the back hall lounge to pick up another victim for his charms.

I began to approach her curiously, shoulders back, face unmoved, and steps strong. She surely didn't belong in my home and I knew I'd never seen her before. It was then that the man I hired to check the guest list at the gate approached her first and I stopped. He held out the clipboard kept names "Excuse me ma'am I'll have to ask you to leave, you aren't on the list."

She pulled a pen from his pocket signed her name across the page , and stood turning on a spiked heel from his direction and towards the front door.

_Laila Valto_

She walked away with an exaggerated walk (like a model) and I pondered how an intruder would make it past my security. Something I would make sure would not happen again, after all it's a privilege to work for me and I expect the best. I snapped away from these thoughts, eyes were on me tonight and a mind should never wander.

I straightened myself up, refilled the ice in my eyes and continued on towards my original destination, I was a man of business and she was just an intruder, but still my thoughts lingered as I crossed the room to the table of sharks and smut that tossed around their ideas and business cards with cold eyes and liver spotted hands. Mokuba just paced around nervously, uncomfortable in his suit while shriveled old women fawned over him a few tables over. A boy his age wasn't interested in anything of this sort, but what could I do? I'd make it up to him another time perhaps, he understood by now that we can't always have things exactly as we please, and that Kaiba corp. was important in keeping our lives the way they were.

Hours had passed and the last of the guests had left, I trudged through my huge and nearly empty home, in its untidy state (thanks to the piggish manner of people who felt it was alright to leave anything where they so pleased) to the stairs that I climbed carefully as I removed my designer jacket and steel blue tie on the way up the elegant staircase. I stepped quietly down the hall, passing Mokuba's room along the way. I peeked in to make sure he had gone to bed, his messy hair on his pillow confirming his rest and safety. I made it to my room at the end of the hall, and I set my alarm for school the next day (at 18 I was still managing my last year of high school along with my business, a grueling task I might add), slipped off my shoes and fell into bed. The blues and white of the room lay in shadows that swiftly caressed my body into dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

_Yugi's Pov_

"_Bye Grandpa!" I called out as shut the front door and headed off to school, bumping into Tristan and Joey on the way as I normally did (Tea typically came from the other direction and would meet up with us at our lockers before homeroom). _

_The books were weighing down on my back, the first two months of senior year had been pretty hectic. It was obvious that Joey and Tristan had been lacking in academics as usual (the typical lack of backpacks and the wild tales of all-nighters and nightlife) , but they always slipped through the cracks in the end. I sighed a little as the school gate came into view, I loved my friends, but the days were long and senior year seemed a lot like a filler, a remix of high school shoved in with college pamphlets. I keep cheery as always though that's just how I work, and it keeps my friends spirits up too after all._

_We entered the gate and I snapped back from my thoughts, Tristan and Joey still talking and joking around. It was a loud mess of conversation as everyone met out front before the bell rang for class. I walked behind Tristan and Joey as they shoved their way through to the entrance (Goodness knows that I wouldn't stand a chance pushing through people who loomed over me through the day). Oh the obstacle of being short! At least I have friends who help out with that sort of thing. _

"_Nah I don think dat I'm a…WHAT da fu-," Joey stopped short to turn his head and stare at the thing in the main office. I say thing, simply because I couldn't quite tell if it was a boy or a girl. Whatever it was it was strangely beautiful._

"_Ha! Joey, man, what the hell is that," Tristan snickered._

"_Must be new." I said recognizing the obvious lack of uniform._

"_Ha even I coulda told ya dat Yug," Joey laughed and gave me a little shove to the side._

_The oddity of a person turned around and I could see the long hair and make-up, leading me to believe it was a woman, some sort of surreal androgynous being, completely out of place. She wore a long, black lace dress clad in beads and buttons that clung to her boney, curve less frame, and a crown on her head. The crown looked to have been robbed from mermaid seas and sunken ships, all pearls and twisted wrought. It would have looked silly and mangled on anyone else, but the harsh angles of her face let it sit beautifully… Maybe a her._

_She looked to us quickly with smoldering eyes, a pale and glinting green, as if she had heard us mocking her. She went to look away, stopped, and gave me a second glance, not to my face, but to my puzzle. This was all rather quick though and soon enough I had made it to my locker, where I could finally lessen the weight on my back. Tea came up to us with less than her usual smile. _

"_As if I wasn't busy already," she sighed as she switched her books to the opposite arm._

"_What is it Tea?" I asked, it didn't seem like Tristan or Joey were going to bother asking._

"_I have to tutor some new student after school every Tuesday now, some home school girl," she paused "I guess Domino wants to make sure we're all at the same level or something." She shrugged. I couldn't help but glance towards Joey and Tristan, making a scene in the hallway (as was typical of the two of them, and their rampant shenanigans). Shouldn't Domino worry about the students who need help in the actual building first? Oh well. _

"_One day a week's not so bad." I replied trying to cheer her up. Tea had been doing a lot of studying lately and the dance team wore her out a good bit, but I knew why the school would pick her, she was good with people and easy to get along with. _

"_I guess, but still…" she trailed off still reluctant to do what the school had asked. _

"_I'll help you with it if you'd like Tea, give you a bit less to worry about," I was way too soft hearted. Tea is my friend and I'd do anything to help her out, but I worry if I give her the wrong impression sometimes. I think she wants some "romantic thing" between us. Awkward._

"_Aww Yugi you're the best!" She swung her arms around me for a big hug, squeezing a bit too tightly, a little over-excited. _

_Seto's Pov _

_The limo pulled up to the front gate of Domino High, I was tired still from last night's little get together and didn't feel like putting up with the childish shit all day. I stepped out making sure to show up a few minutes later than everyone who wanted their little socializing time. I wasn't fond of crowds or noise. I stepped through the entrance with my usual strong, demanding demeanor. Uniform in perfect order with a stylish trench for show. I was making my way to homeroom and I saw the teacher outside the classroom and off to the side speaking to her. From the guest list among last night's scattered remains, I knew. It was Laila. Her smoking eyes followed me, but I couldn't read them, and as a CEO I make it my business to read all expressions, all faces, I make it my business to always have the advantage. She remained silent, and I remained cold as I entered homeroom. I sneered at the thought of it being in my home. What kind of a get up is that anyway? _

_I thought of her through class, but I did not want to. I actually paid attention in the hallways to the people around me, but her face was nowhere to be found, that is until I made my way to the library for lunch. The school's wi-fi helped keep my business in check during lunch._

_Laila was sitting at a table with Ryou, the effeminate British joke that sat a few seats in front of me during history. She wasn't in uniform still, and I wondered if she was even a student, the school library was open to public use during the day. I turned my laptop on after finding a seat on the opposite side of the room, but my concentration wasn't what it normally was, why the hell was I thinking about her? I couldn't help it. Maybe if I'd sat a bit closer I could have over heard her, but I wasn't willing to steep that low. Why? Why was I thinking of her?_

_I didn't get a single thing done during lunch, I left the library as the bell rang frustrated with myself, knowing that I would be staying up even later tonight for it, making up for lost time. As I left I caught her smirk, that little half smile, tilting her head ever so slightly as she did. She left in a bit of a hurry through the library doors, seeming to float through the crowd of gawking students, her composure was perfectly executed, elegant and sophisticated. _


End file.
